The new gadgets at CES 2016 could change your life

A drone that can carry humans, a refrigerator that monitors usage... these new gadgets could change your life, writes Rajiv Makhni.

Let’s just keep it really simple. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is the biggest, baddest and most far-out tech show in the world. With more than a million new products showcased, choosing the best is a near impossible task. Here, then, is part one of mission impossible.

Netflix : Yes, the mother (and father) of media, movie and TV streaming is finally in India, is priced affordably, has a one-month free trial and offers quite a varied catalogue for India. Will our data connections live up to the speeds needed? That’s the wrinkle that may just UnNetflix it all.

Panasonic DX900 TV: CES is all about huge TVs and curved screens popping up from every corner. The fact that Panasonic’s DX900 stands out amidst this is commendable. Its charm lies in its picture clarity and THX certification, the latter due to a new backlight technology that gives blacks so deep that you’ll think you’re in outer space.

Yuneec Typhoon H Drone :Think of every single problem that concerns a drone: it’ll crash, it’ll collide into other things, it’ll hit an aircraft if it goes too high, it’ll run out of battery and probably never come back. Now imagine them all solved in one shot. Using Intel’s RealSense technology, this one has a built-in anti-collision feature that gives the gadget a whole new dimension.

EHang 184 Drone : It’s a drone with a difference – it is massive. So massive that it can fit you in it. Yes, the drone that is built to carry humans is here. With a top speed of 60mph and a range of about 20km, this takes personal transportation to a whole new ‘height’.

Mercedes Concept IAA : It’s so good-looking that you don’t feel like getting inside. But once you do, you realise the interiors look even better, the car drives itself and is equipped with superlative technology. Car technology seems to be moving at the speed of light and Mercedes seems to be king of the hill right now.

Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator : It’s a refrigerator with more technology packed into its slender frame than what your entire house is equipped with. A 21.5-inch full-HD touchscreen, integration with Amazon Alexa, cameras inside that monitor the food usage, apps that make shopping lists, and a feature that tells you which food items may spoil, suggesting recipes to consume them. Now, that is ‘cool’.

Fitbit Blaze : The Fitbit Blaze looks fantastic, has a colour touchscreen, features leather and steel straps, a central unit that pops in and out, and a ton of new fitness features. And yet, when the new Fitbit was announced its stock price tanked. Go figure.

Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook : Razer may not be known for its laptops, but that is set to change with the Blade Stealth, a slim beast of epic proportions. It has a thin-as-a-blade 4K screen, with desktop-class hardware and speeds. And the price is just about $999. This Blade cuts deep into the competition.

Sharp as a blade: The Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook has a 4K screen, and is priced at $999.

Casio Smartwatch : A new smartwatch player has thrown down the gauntlet. This is a smartwatch within a rugged G-Shock case, and has all the normal sensors, in addition to a barometer, compass, humidity and altitude tracker. In fact, it adds all the smartwatch features into a two-part display. Google, Apple, Samsung and Motorola had better watch out.

Faraday Future FFZERO1 : The FFZero1 concept race car looks like a cross between a Batmobile and what F1 drivers may race 10 years from now. With a 1,000 horsepower engine capable of hitting 320 kmph, who wouldn’t want it parked in their garage?

Built to fly: The Faraday Future FFZero1 is a slick-looking supercar, capable of hitting 320 kmph.

LeTV Le Max Pro : You’re going to be hearing a lot about this one. Apart from setting up Aston Martin’s infotainment system and coming up with some first-rate TVs, this company’s smartphone portfolio is set to change the game. Case in point: LeMaxPro. It has an all-metal body, zero bezel, 6.33-inch 2K screen and is the first to have a Snapdragon 820 chipset. Can’t wait for it to hit India.

B Sensory : A smart bedroom toy that synchronises with erotic e-books and movies, this one comes set with the aim to spice up your love life. As the action on the page or on-screen goes into overdrive, so does the B Sensory. If you don’t get it, you’re not its target audience.

Withings Thermo : This is as simple as it gets. It hovers over the skin and takes 4,000 readings per second, giving you an instant body-temperature reading. It’s non-invasive, safe, easy to use, keeps a record for the entire family, and uploads everything on to an app.

Keeping a record: The Withings Thermo is non-invasive and hovers over the skin, measuring body temperature.

LG Rollable Display : This comes with an 18-inch OLED display that is about 1-mm thick. It can work as a TV screen, a tablet or a notebook screen and rolls up into a small scroll. LG hopes to bring out a 42-inch version of this very soon. So just roll up and carry your 42-inch TV with you on your next holiday.